Jollibee Group expands global reach through foreign acquisitions
System-wide sales growth in foreign countries has overtaken the expansion back home.
Jollibee Foods Corp. (Jollibee Group), the second fastest-growing restaurant brand in the world according to Brand Finance, has evolved from a single local brand into a global powerhouse with 19 brands, expanding beyond the Filipino diaspora to attract a broader international customer base.
The company’s marketing has evolved to appeal to a wider audience as part of its global ambition and transition beyond its roots as a family-owned company and source of national pride.
The Jollibee Group’s international expansion started about 25 years ago, and it involved setting up shop in locations with big Filipino communities like the US, the Middle East and the UK, David Beal, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Jollibee, told QSR Media. It also targeted some Southeast Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia.
“We were initially seeking to bring them a taste of home,” he said in a Zoom interview, referring to Filipinos overseas. “We were empowered by the fact that there is a large and passionate diaspora of Filipinos around the world.”
This approach initially worked, but to propel further growth, the brand needed to widen its customer base beyond the Filipino diaspora. For the past eight years, Jollibee Group has shifted its focus to attracting a broader customer base from the general population.
“When you look at markets like the US, what we see is we have a much greater proportion of customers in the Jollibee restaurants who represent the general population as opposed to Filipino customers,” Beal said.
Beal noted that In Asia, Vietnam is one of Jollibee’s most successful markets, where the brand recently surpassed 200 branches, cementing its presence in the country.
“We entered that market as Jollibee, not meeting the needs of the Filipino population because the Filipino population in Vietnam is very, very small,” he pointed out.
Part of their success in the country was adapting to local tastes. Through market research, they found that Vietnamese people love spicy and saucy flavours. With that in mind, Jollibee created the Chili Chicken, a saucier and spicier version of its flagship Chickenjoy fried chicken.
The spicy Chickenjoy was also a big hit in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as in the UK and Spain for its Chicken Sandwich.
The impact of this strategy is evident in Jollibee Group's latest FY 2024 performance disclosure. For the Philippine business, same-store sales growth (SSSG) in 2024 was 7.5%, driven by a 7.2% increase in volume and a 0.3% rise in average check. The international business experienced a 2.8% growth overall, with significant contributions from Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia (EMEAA), which saw a 12.8% increase. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) grew by 7.1%, Milksha by 5.4%, and North America by 3.2%. However, same-store sales in China and Highlands Coffee declined by 11.2% and 3.7%, respectively. (Global SSSG: +5.7%)
Beyond organic expansion, the group has strengthened its global presence by acquiring global brands like China’s Yonghe King in 2004 and Hong Zhuang Yuan in 2008, Denver- based Smashburger in 2018, and California-based Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in 2019.
In August 2021, it started talks to fully acquire Tim Ho Wan, renowned for its Michelin-starred dim sum from Hong Kong, and in November 2024, it announced the transfer of ownership and management of the chain to Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Jollibee Group.
Jollibee has also invested in South Korea’s Compose Coffee, whilst its majority-owned Milksha brand secured a 70% stake in Taiwan-based Moon Moon Food, a move aimed at tapping the growing consumer demand for wellness-focused dining options.
Looking ahead, Beal said artificial intelligence (AI) would be a key area of focus for Jollibee Group. “I think we cannot ignore it,” he said. “It’s especially valuable in addressing customer needs and preferences.”
Jollibee Group’s AI-driven solutions are centred around predictive analytics, making sure they have sophisticated tools to help with customer contact and issue resolution like chatbots. “Those really help quick-service restaurant brands personalise offerings.”
Beal, who will join a panel discussion at the QSR Media Asia Tabsquare Conference & Awards 2025 in Singapore, said he looks forward to learning from other industry players and helping shape an understanding of what success looks like.
“There are few industries more dynamic than QSRs because we need to navigate the realities of building physical environments, the realities of creating consistent experiences, and the challenge of building and fostering brands that are the top of mind of consumers,” he said. “To do that successfully is often a difficult challenge.”
